These frog 'saunas’ could help endangered species fight off a deadly fungus
Digest
This episode of the Nature Podcast explores the search for dark matter and the potential role of primordial black holes. Researchers have been studying micro-lensing events in the Large Magellanic Cloud to see if they can find evidence of these black holes, but their findings suggest that they cannot make up a significant fraction of dark matter. The episode also discusses a simple and effective way to help frogs fight back against a deadly fungus called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd. Researchers have found that providing frogs with warm refugia, such as piles of black bricks covered with a greenhouse, can help them clear infections and even develop resistance to future infections. The episode concludes with a briefing on the upcoming UK general election and its potential implications for science, including immigration policies, research funding, and climate change initiatives. The episode also highlights China's successful Chang'e-6 mission to collect rock samples from the far side of the moon, which will help scientists understand the moon's composition and evolution.
Outlines
Introduction
This Chapter introduces the Nature Plus podcast and its focus on scientific discoveries and advancements. It highlights the diverse range of topics covered, from distant star systems to infectious diseases.
The Hunt for Dark Matter
This Chapter delves into the mystery of dark matter and explores the hypothesis that primordial black holes could be a significant component. Researchers have been searching for micro-lensing events caused by these black holes, but their findings suggest that they cannot make up a significant fraction of dark matter.
Frog Saunas: A Simple Solution to a Deadly Fungus
This Chapter discusses the devastating impact of the Bd fungus on frog populations worldwide. Researchers have developed a simple and inexpensive method to help frogs clear infections and develop resistance to Bd: providing them with warm refugia, or saunas, made from black bricks covered with a greenhouse. This method has proven effective in laboratory and field settings.
UK General Election and Science
This Chapter examines the upcoming UK general election and its potential implications for science. The episode discusses the Conservative and Labour parties' stances on immigration policies, research funding, and climate change initiatives. The episode also highlights the growing importance of AI research and the need for responsible development and regulation.
China's Moon Mission: Collecting Rocks from the Far Side
This Chapter focuses on China's successful Chang'e-6 mission to collect rock samples from the far side of the moon. The episode discusses the significance of this mission, the scientific questions that researchers hope to answer with the collected samples, and the potential for future moon missions, including those to the lunar South Pole.
Keywords
Dark Matter
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is thought to make up about 85% of the matter in the universe. It does not interact with light, making it invisible to telescopes. Its existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter, such as galaxies and galaxy clusters. Scientists are still searching for the nature of dark matter, with various theories suggesting it could be composed of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions, or primordial black holes.
Primordial Black Holes
Primordial black holes are hypothetical black holes that are thought to have formed in the very early universe, shortly after the Big Bang. They are distinct from stellar black holes, which form from the collapse of massive stars. Primordial black holes are thought to be much smaller than stellar black holes, and some theories suggest they could be a component of dark matter. However, recent research has ruled out the possibility that they make up a significant fraction of dark matter.
Micro-lensing
Gravitational micro-lensing is a phenomenon that occurs when a massive object, such as a black hole or a star, passes in front of a distant light source, such as a star. The massive object's gravity bends the light from the distant source, magnifying it and making it appear brighter. This effect can be used to detect and study massive objects that are otherwise invisible. Researchers have been using micro-lensing to search for primordial black holes, but their findings have so far been inconclusive.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a chytrid fungus that is a major threat to amphibian populations worldwide. It causes a disease called chytridiomycosis, which can be fatal to frogs, toads, and other amphibians. Bd is thought to have originated in Asia and spread around the world through the trade of amphibians as pets. It is a highly contagious fungus that can survive in the environment for long periods, making it difficult to control.
Frog Saunas
Frog saunas are a simple and inexpensive method developed by researchers to help frogs clear infections of the Bd fungus. They consist of piles of black bricks covered with a greenhouse, which create a warm and humid environment that is unfavorable to Bd. Frogs that have access to saunas have been shown to clear infections more quickly and develop resistance to future infections.
Chang'e-6 Mission
The Chang'e-6 mission is a Chinese lunar mission that successfully collected rock samples from the far side of the moon. This is the first mission to collect samples from this region of the moon, which is not visible from Earth. The mission's success demonstrates China's growing capabilities in space exploration and its commitment to lunar science. The collected samples will help scientists understand the moon's composition, evolution, and the differences between its two sides.
Lunar South Pole
The lunar South Pole is a region of the moon that is of great interest to scientists and space agencies. It is thought to contain water ice, which could be used to produce fuel and other resources for future lunar missions and potentially even a long-term human presence on the moon. Several space agencies, including NASA and the European Space Agency, have plans to send missions to the lunar South Pole in the coming years.
UK General Election
The UK general election is a democratic process in which citizens of the United Kingdom vote for their representatives in the House of Commons. The election is held every five years, unless a general election is called earlier by the Prime Minister. The outcome of the election determines which political party forms the government and who becomes Prime Minister.
AI Research
AI research is a rapidly growing field that focuses on developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. AI research has the potential to revolutionize many industries, from healthcare and finance to transportation and manufacturing. However, it also raises ethical and regulatory concerns, such as the potential for job displacement and the misuse of AI for malicious purposes.
Q&A
What is dark matter, and why is it so difficult to detect?
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is thought to make up about 85% of the matter in the universe. It does not interact with light, making it invisible to telescopes. Its existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter, such as galaxies and galaxy clusters. Scientists are still searching for the nature of dark matter, with various theories suggesting it could be composed of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions, or primordial black holes. The difficulty in detecting dark matter stems from its lack of interaction with light and its elusive nature.
What are primordial black holes, and how could they be related to dark matter?
Primordial black holes are hypothetical black holes that are thought to have formed in the very early universe, shortly after the Big Bang. They are distinct from stellar black holes, which form from the collapse of massive stars. Primordial black holes are thought to be much smaller than stellar black holes, and some theories suggest they could be a component of dark matter. However, recent research has ruled out the possibility that they make up a significant fraction of dark matter.
How do researchers use micro-lensing to search for dark matter?
Gravitational micro-lensing is a phenomenon that occurs when a massive object, such as a black hole or a star, passes in front of a distant light source, such as a star. The massive object's gravity bends the light from the distant source, magnifying it and making it appear brighter. This effect can be used to detect and study massive objects that are otherwise invisible. Researchers have been using micro-lensing to search for primordial black holes, but their findings have so far been inconclusive.
What is Bd fungus, and how does it affect frogs?
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a chytrid fungus that is a major threat to amphibian populations worldwide. It causes a disease called chytridiomycosis, which can be fatal to frogs, toads, and other amphibians. Bd is thought to have originated in Asia and spread around the world through the trade of amphibians as pets. It is a highly contagious fungus that can survive in the environment for long periods, making it difficult to control.
How do frog saunas help frogs fight off Bd infections?
Frog saunas are a simple and inexpensive method developed by researchers to help frogs clear infections of the Bd fungus. They consist of piles of black bricks covered with a greenhouse, which create a warm and humid environment that is unfavorable to Bd. Frogs that have access to saunas have been shown to clear infections more quickly and develop resistance to future infections.
What are the key scientific questions that researchers hope to answer with the rock samples collected from the far side of the moon by the Chang'e-6 mission?
The rock samples collected from the far side of the moon by the Chang'e-6 mission will help scientists understand the moon's composition, evolution, and the differences between its two sides. Researchers are particularly interested in exploring why the moon's two sides are so different, understanding the composition of deeper lunar structures, and how the basin where the moon mission went to was formed.
What are the potential implications of the UK general election for science?
The UK general election could have significant implications for science, particularly in terms of immigration policies, research funding, and climate change initiatives. The Conservative and Labour parties have different stances on these issues, and the outcome of the election will determine which party's policies are implemented.
What are the key challenges and opportunities associated with AI research?
AI research has the potential to revolutionize many industries, from healthcare and finance to transportation and manufacturing. However, it also raises ethical and regulatory concerns, such as the potential for job displacement and the misuse of AI for malicious purposes. It is important to ensure that AI is developed and used responsibly, with appropriate safeguards in place to mitigate potential risks.
What are the next steps for lunar exploration, and what are the potential benefits of establishing a long-term human presence on the moon?
Future lunar exploration missions are likely to focus on the lunar South Pole, which is thought to contain water ice that could be used to produce fuel and other resources. Establishing a long-term human presence on the moon could provide opportunities for scientific research, resource extraction, and potentially even space tourism.
Show Notes
00:47 Searching for dark matter in black holes
Researchers have been scanning the skies looking for black holes that formed at the very beginning of the Universe — one place where elusive and mysterious dark matter is thought to be located. If these black holes did contain dark matter, they would be especially massive and so researchers would be able to see the bending of light as they pass in front of stars. Such events would be rare, so to find them researchers trawled through a decades-long dataset. However, despite the large number of observations, the researchers didn't find many examples of these events and none that were long enough to show signs of much dark matter. So, the hunt for enigmatic material goes on.
Research Article: Mróz et al.
09:42 Research Highlights
How some comb jellies survive the crushing ocean depths, and how giving cash to mothers in low-income households can boost time and money spent on children.
Research Highlight: Deep-sea creatures survive crushing pressures with just the right fats
Research Highlight: Families given cash with no strings spend more money on kids
12:39 A simple, solution to tackle a deadly frog disease
A simple ‘sauna’ built of bricks and a supermarket-bought greenhouse, can help frogs rid themselves of a devastating fungal disease, new research has shown. While options to prevent or treat infection are limited, the fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis has an achilles heel: it can’t survive at warm temperatures. A team in Australia used this knowledge to their advantage to develop saunas where frogs can warm themselves to clear an infection. Frogs who spent time in these hot environments were able to shake the fungus, and gained some immunity to subsequent infections. While this research only involved one type of frog, it offers some hope in tackling a deadly disease that has driven multiple species to extinction.
Research Article: Waddle et al.
News and Views: Mini saunas save endangered frogs from fungal disease
20:06 Briefing Chat
This time, we discuss what the upcoming UK election could mean for science, and the return of rock samples from the Moon’s far side.
Nature News: UK general election: five reasons it matters for science
Nature News: First ever rocks from the Moon’s far side have landed on Earth
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